Reflecting on the diversity of Los Angeles, the cast of Summertime express their love, hopes, dreams, and angst during the summer of 2019. Over twenty characters in their twenties and thirties perform original poetry, rap, and music expressing their individual emotional stories. What makes the film unique and captivating is that the stories are interwoven, and the actions of the characters end up bringing them together at the end to create an uplifting final scene. Themes of identity and community run throughout the film as it delivers humor, sadness, compassion, power, and joy.
A young lady starts the film with a poem describing her urban environment: sweating on the Silverline subway, breathing the gray-green air, seeing a squashed bug on the pavement. Next, a young woman sings “Oh Venice, Oh Baby” as she plays her guitar and roller-skates through the wakening city. Storefronts open, a fellow sweeps the street, and waves roll into the shore. Tyris and his two female friends decide to have lunch. They stop in the restaurant “Love” and order. Tyris discovers the restaurant no longer serves hamburgers, grudgingly accepts an alternative item, and gets into an altercation with the waitress when he finds out the toast costs $14.75.
Tyris delivers a cleverly mocking poem about what he could buy or do with $14.75 in LA. Tyris writes reviews on Yelp and gives the restaurant a one star. The three friends leave and meet up later at Smiley’s Restaurant which does serve hamburgers. Marcos and a female friend on electric scooters pass by Raul, a street vendor who is selling summer items. Raul squirts them with this water pistol. Two young men, Anewbyss (Bryce Banks) and Rah (Austin Antoine), are rapping on the street with the dream of making it big in LA. One of Tyris’s friends leaves to go home.
Walter and his girlfriend Anna visit a therapist; as they enter the office, Marquesha, a young troubled woman, leaves with the doctor’s book How to “Rap” Battle with Your Demons. After Dr. Ruth Busan gives the young couple advice, she leaves and passes by the rappers. Now, Anewbyss and Rah are playing music from their CD on the street. Dr. Busan and another fellow like the music and both buy a CD; Dr. Busan tells them, “That man is a music producer and they are going to be famous!” Sure enough, as the film progresses, Anewbyss and Rah become successful.
Tyris and his friend end up at Smiley’s, as do other characters from the story. Anewbyss and Rah enter Smiley’s and tell the new manager he can take the limo for a ride and invite his friends. Tyris and other main characters pile into the limo; the driver turns out to be Raul, the street vendor. Raul’s final poem “Clouds” expresses his hope and dreams for the individuals in the van. A wonderful artistic film. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P.